The Brazilian Beat: Favela Funk, Part I

STORY BY:
brazilianbeathead
The Brazilian Beat is contributor John Bohannon’s monthly column.
Over the past two decades, a phenomenon has taken over the slums of Rio and trickled down slowly into the rest of the world. Brazil has always been known for its keen sense of rhythm, and now that Bossa Nova and Samba have become the foundations of a past generation, the Brazilians had to find a new way to evolve their institution in rhythm. Much like hip-hop in the streets of New York, the new generation needed its own sound – its own voice. Insert Favela Funk, also known around the world as Baile (meaning party) Funk or Funk Carioca.